Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-06-23
LIMESTONE GAP.
BY HENRY DALE.

BY HENRY DALE.
"IIelio, Ola cyclone, what's tho matter
now2"
"Matte1? Ef yer want ter keep ther ha'r
on yer heards ye'd better stop that ere
squallin thar an saddle up"
"Injuns?"
"Yer bet, thicker'n grasshoppers in Kan
sas, sand burrs in Texas, sage brush in
Dakota, an liars in Denver"
"Boys, Old Cy don't talk fur nuthin.
Better be saddlin up an prepa'r ter run or
fight, an may be BOTH"
"Thet's Jest the size o it," growled the
rough visaged frontiersman known as Old
Cyclone, drawing in his painting steed, and
casting furtiye glances down the valley In
the direction he had come.
The scenery about the little camp was
wild and picturesque in the extreme. Rug
ged mountains, some barren and others
dotted with Verdure to their very SUBMITS,
rose ON every hand. Below them was
lovely valley with stream like thread OF
silver winding through it.
The camp itself was on bit of table
land, and there was from it an excellent
view of the valley for several miles below.
Three hardy mustangs were grazing a
slIurt di5tunvo from Tire oS.snP fso, s.sa ts~.so
men were seated about il, when the fourth,
whom we have introduced by the appella-
ton by which he was known oil over the
West-Old Cyclone-came mp on his
horse.
Two of the men seated at the camp firo
were rough. bronze frontiers
men, like Old Cyclone, but the third was
| little more than boy. His fair cheek and
| tender -looLipg hands were evidence against
his having been long on the frontier. The
| three were finishing their dinner, and Bill
Murphy, one of the frontier scouts, had
been entertaining his companions with a
song, which drew forth from Cyclone the
remark that he had better stop his squall-
ing:
! the third frontiersman.
"'Bout two milds."
"Great grizzlies, boys, we'd like ter been
TUX right in by the tarnal varmintsP
The three mustangs we're saddled In as
| many seconds, and while this operation
| was going on Old Cyclone leaped from his
saddle aud began stamping the fire into the
earth, thus putting it out
| AVAIL i swow, Tenderioot, yer gettin
purity handy wi leather. Their way ye
stitched YER broncho nd do credit to Q
teplar broncho buster. Mount, boys; we've
got ter hit the fat an overtake that wagin
train afore it strikes the mountings, OF
we'll hev the pesky theevin' redskins e.
skalp.n' every man, woman, an child
among EN-"
The face of the youth, who was called
Tenderfoot among his companions because
he had been on the plains only short time
turned deathly pale. His father, mother
Younger brothers, and sisters were with tina
train, and in danger OF being massacred BY
the Apaches.
The youth, whose name was Charlie!
Myrtle, was brave lad, and he gripped hi
rifle, while his teeth were set with On air o
firmness and determination, though hi
cheek was considerably paler than usual.
How far do you think the wagon tran
is from the mountains?" he asked of OIL
Cyclone.
"Dun know, Tenderfoot, but its more
likely they're in 'em now. They've he
time TO come to 'em by this time, but G
they amt crossed the river tbey kin g
back to the fat (prairie) afore the Apache
come up ter EN-"
"Cnn we defend ourselves better on th
prairie than ON the mountain?"
"Yer jist bet We kin, Tenderfoot. Here
fellers, jump yer cayuse an less be makn
tracks fur Limestun Gap"
The men were in their saddles and 500
callopno at break neck speed along tn
plateau, aud then entered narrow, dee
defile which brought them out into sort G
O wide canyon.
Charley Myrtle, who was unaccustome
to horseback riding, was stiff and sore, ON
scarcely able to ride, yet the recollectio
that his parents and brothers and sister
. were in danger seemed to give him new lii,
"Are the Apaches mounted or on footi
Charley asked Old Cyclone, who rode I
his side.
"Mounted2 Why, Tenderfoot, they new
ride, specially ef they're in hurry. N
sir, they're on foot"
"Then we can outtravel them2"
"Wall, now, don't know 80 well abo
thet, younpster," said the old scout. THE
air pesky redskins when they git 1t int
their head to go kin jist git over grour
about as fast as the next one, In these e
, mountings they KIN outruu N hu5s. VIII
= they run deers down sometimes"
"Then they may oyertake us?"
"Yes, they will ef they come onter o.
trail unless we mend our gait.
"Did they see your"
"No."
"Then they may not find us.
"Yas, ef they turn off somo other wa
! but they war comm right toward us.
"How mauy?"
"Dun know exactly, but thar war at les
II hundred o en-"
1, They now came to where the valley W
wider, and the sides became bluffs hu
dred feet in height.
Two ranges of mountains converg
about mile further up, in what was knoV
ms Limestone Gap. The valley or cany'
from the point they had now reache
gradually grew narrower until they came
the gap, which was 20 narrow that T.
could scarce ride abreast through 1t.
n At every few rods Old Cyclone dropp
} to the rear. and looked back down the VI
ley a I'd along the tops of the bluffs
either side.
X THAR aint q red nigger in sight ;
boys" ne at last said, gnllopinR mp to wht
the others were hurrying their mustar
over the stony ground. II think we'll
4 ter the gap all right"
The ponies thundered along over
stony earth, and the ring of hoofs echo
along the canyon until Charley began
fear they would reach the ears of tho purt
ing savages.
|. "Thar il is, thar II is" cried Old Cyclol
who had forced his horse. ahead OF
others, "thar's the gap; now, we'll soon
out beyont it,"
They urged their horses forward at
TOP of their speed, and were soon throu
,t- the pass.
M "Hello, who's yeI2" cried Old Cyclo
mr. who was some distance ahead OF the othe